Synthetic Formation of Hydrogel Condensates in Living Cells

Abstract

In a previous report, the author developed a synthetic biology molecular tool, iPOLYMER, which produces hydrogel condensates consisting of two polypeptide chains in living cells, in a stimulus-dependent manner. Functionalizing the iPOLYMER polypeptides with an RNA-binding domain successfully reconstituted a typical example of biomolecular condensates, stress granules, in living cells under a stress-free condition. In the current review, achievements made possible by iPOLYMER are summarized, with reference to a brief history of biomolecular condensate research. Future prospects, as well as technical challenges, of synthetic biological approaches to the novel class of intracellular structures are also described.